Finishing university is the end of an era. As stressful as it can be at times, uni is something of a ‘bubble’ and having to leave that and go into the big wide world can still be a shock. While you’ll have gained independence, studied hard and probably done some part time work too, it can still feel incredibly overwhelming. With no student loan, no student overdraft and without the support of your lecturers and classmates that you’ve had over the years, you’re likely to feel like you’re going it alone for the first time. However while this can be scary it can also be exciting, you have your whole life ahead of you and it’s entirely up to you what you do next.

Here are a few ideas for what you could do as a new graduate

Take a Year OutLots of people take a gap year before starting university, but actually taking one after is a great option too. After three solid years of study, some time out to relax, have fun and tick some things of your personal bucket list is no bad thing. Once you get into the world of work and secure a job it can be tricky to get this kind of time to yourself again so if you’re willing and able, why not go for it now? You could book a round the world trip, or go backpacking in all of the countries you’ve always wanted to visit. It’s not too expensive to travel like this but you get incredible experiences that will last you a lifetime. You could volunteer abroad or the country you live in, where you could gain practical skills that look good on your CV. You could do other things that will boost your CV too, from events to fundraisers interesting hobbies. Have a plan, if you take a year out then know how you want to spend it and enjoy every moment.

Study a MastersIf you love to learn, or just don’t feel like you’re done with the education system just yet- why not continue studying? As a mature student, studying for a masters has a different feel about it than getting your degree. You already know the ropes, you’ve learned that waiting until the day before to start an essay or start revising isn’t a good idea. You know that hard work pays off and your already in the swing of things when it comes to your education. You could either go for it full time or study online, according to LLM Study for example you can ‘search our LLM database to help you find the perfect program to study your LLM’ so ideal if you’re a law graduate. Now is also a good time to decide what direction you want to take your career in and allow you to specialise. For example, if you studied psychology at university, you could go on to specialise in forensics, counselling, sport psychology or whatever it is that interests you.

Find a Graduate JobFinally, you could do what most people fresh out of university tend to do and that’s look for a graduate job. Your degree will give you the ability to apply for lots of entry level jobs, and if you fancy a change it doesn’t have to be directly linked to your degree in all cases. For example, if you wanted to become a teacher, a degree in any subject could be used.

​Give yourself an opportunity... explore, learn, and don't forget to have some fun.